Semiconductor nanocrystals whose dimensions are comparable to the bulk exciton diameter show quantum confinement effects. This is seen most clearly in the optical spectra which shift to blue wavelengths as the size of the crystal is reduced.
Semiconductor nanocrystals made from a wide range of materials have been studied including many II-VI and III-V semiconductors. In addition to spherical nanocrystals, rod-, arrow-, teardrop- and tetrapod-shaped nanocrystals [Alivisatos et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc, 2000, 122, 12700; WO03054953] and core-shell structures [Bawendi, J. Phys. Chem. B, 1997, 101, 9463; Li and Reiss, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 11588] have also been prepared. To control the size and shape of such nanocrystals their synthesis is generally performed in the presence of one or more capping agents (sometime called surfactants or coordinating solvents). Such capping agents control the growth of the nanocrystals and also increase the strength of the light emission though the passivation of surface states. A wide range of capping agents have been employed including phosphines [Bawendi et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1993, 115, 8706], phosphine oxides [Peng et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 2049], amines [Peng et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 2049], fatty acids [Battaglia and Peng, Nano Lett., 2002, 2, 1027; Peng et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 2049], thiols [Li and Reiss, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 11588] and more exotic capping agents such a metal fatty acid complexes [Nann et. al., J. Mater. Chem., 2008, 18, 2653].
Methods to prepare semiconductor nanocrystals include solvothermal reactions [Gillan et. al., J. Mater. Chem., 2006, 38, 3774], hot injection methods [Battaglia and Peng, Nano Lett., 2002, 2, 1027], simple heating processes [Van Patten et. al., Chem. Mater., 2006, 18, 3915], continuous flow reactions [US2006087048] and microwave assisted synthesis [Strouse et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005, 127, 15791]
One of the most interesting classes of semiconductors is the III-nitrides, such as AlN, GaN, InN and their respective alloys. These are used for the manufacture of blue light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and power electronic devices. Nitrides are also chemically inert, are resistant to radiation, and have large breakdown fields, high thermal conductivities and large high-field electron drift mobilities, making them ideal for high-power applications in caustic environments [Neumayer at. al., Chem., Mater., 1996, 8, 25]. The band gaps of aluminium nitride (6.2 eV), gallium nitride (3.5 eV) and Indium nitride (0.7 eV) [Gillan et. al., J. Mater. Chem., 2006, 38, 3774] mean that nitrides span much of the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The fact that alloys of these materials have direct optical band gaps over this range makes these very significant for optical devices. In the case of nanocrystals based on III-nitride semiconductors, tuning the band gap through alloying and quantum confinement effects opens up the possibility of making unique nanocrystalline phosphors spanning a wide region of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, to date, routes to fabricate nitride nanocrystals have resulted in only weakly emissive materials and have had poor control over the size of the nanocrystals produced.
Nanocrystalline indium nitride and indium gallium nitride have been prepared from the solvothermal reaction of metal halides with sodium azide [Gillan et. al., J. Mater. Chem., 2006, 38, 3774]. No emission spectra of the material were presented although some images from a fluorescence microscope were included. Nanocrystalline indium nitride has also been prepared from the solvothermal reaction of indium iodide with sodium amide [Xie et. al., New. J. Chem., 2005, 29, 1610]. In this work indium nitride nanocrystals were prepared and emission spectra are reported but no indication as to the intensity of the emission, such as a photoluminescent quantum yield, is reported. Other workers have attempted to prepare nitride nanocrystals in the presence of capping agents, but strong emission of light has never been reported in nitride nanocrystals prepared in these ways. [Mićić et. al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 1999, 74, 478; Van Patten et. al., Chem. Mater., 2006, 18, 3915; Cole-Hamilton et. al., J. Mater. Chem., 2004, 14, 3124; Rao et. al., Small, 2005, 1, 91].
WO 2006/027778 discloses core-shell nanocrystal structures, and proposes that the nanocrystals may be capped using an “outer organic ligand layer” or “organic capping agent” having an electron-donating functional group.
WO 2005/110916 teaches providing a metallic layer around a semiconductor nanocrystal core. As an example, zinc stearate may be used as a zinc precursor to obtain a metallic zinc layer around a semiconductor nanocrystal core.
WO 2005/001906 relates to a method for using emissive semiconductor nanocrystals to image a lymphatic system. It proposes coating the nanocrystals using a phosphine ligand to improve their solubility.
US 2006/0240227 relates to the production of core-shell nanocrystal structures. It proposes use of capping agents to promote solubility of the obtained nanocrystals. In one example it proposes use of TOPO (trioctylphosphoine oxide) or ODA (octadecylamine) as a capping agent in the preparation of a CdSe/ZnS structure.